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EnglishWhat Is the Rural Sociological Society? History and Focus
Updated
The Rural Sociological Society (RSS) is a professional association founded in 1937 that promotes the generation, application, and dissemination of social scientific knowledge about rural life. Its stated mission is to enhance the quality of rural life, communities, and the environment in North America and elsewhere in the world. If you are looking for the scholarly organization behind the journal Rural Sociology, its annual conference, and its research and interest groups, this is it.
What RSS Is
RSS describes itself as a professional association rather than a university department, agency, or advocacy-only group. Its membership brings together researchers, practitioners, extension experts, students, and advocates who work on rural issues.
The Society frames its purpose around three connected activities:
- Scholarship — producing and sharing social scientific knowledge
- Informing policy — using that knowledge to shape decisions affecting rural people and places
- Advocacy — speaking for rural people and places
It states that it is grounded in the values of rigorous scholarship, free inquiry, civil discourse, and social inclusion, and affirms the dignity and rights of all people.
History: Tracing Rural Change Since 1937
According to the Society, since its founding in 1937 the RSS has traced changes in:
- Rural lives and livelihoods
- Demography
- Community structures and economies
- Technologies
- Environmental conditions
- Agriculture and food systems
That list is a useful summary of what rural sociology as a field has watched over roughly nine decades — not a single topic, but the shifting conditions of rural communities over time.
Current Focus
RSS describes rural communities as dynamic, diverse, and central to the most pressing issues of the time. Its current work is organized around three core activities:
| Activity | What it is |
|---|---|
| Peer-reviewed journal | Rural Sociology, described as the leading research journal advancing rural studies |
| Annual conference | A yearly gathering where rural scholars connect, share, and collaborate |
| Research and Interest Groups (RIGs) | Focused communities addressing specific rural topics |
The Society also maintains a "Members in the News" section and a "Our Work in Action" area highlighting these activities.
Geographic Scope
RSS explicitly states that it seeks to enhance rural life, communities, and the environment both in North America and elsewhere in the world, and that it offers opportunities to interact with others interested in rural people and places in the United States and internationally.
Who It Is For
Based on the Society's own description, RSS is relevant if you are:
- A researcher or student working on rural social science
- A practitioner or extension expert engaged with rural communities
- An advocate focused on rural people and places
- Someone seeking a long-standing community of inquiry around rural issues
Joining RSS, in its framing, means becoming part of a tradition of inquiry and action and contributing through the journal, conferences, RIGs, and policy engagement.
Where to Start
The Society's site organizes its main entry points around the journal, the annual conference, and the research and interest groups. If your interest is publishing or reading current rural research, the journal is the natural starting point; if it is networking or presenting work, the annual conference is; if it is a specific rural topic, the RIGs are.